CHAPTER XXI
“Creelton, I Believe You are the Man”
Several days after this last unsuccessful attempt was made to injure Ralph Osborn, at about eight o’clock one evening a window in the second story of sick quarters, the midshipmen’s hospital (which was a separate building situated at a little distance from main quarters) was cautiously opened, and a head slowly appeared; the owner of it looked up and down, evidently satisfying himself no one was about, and then his entire body emerged from the window, and in a moment he was on the veranda just outside. He stepped quickly across the veranda and immediately climbed down one of the supporting columns and was soon in the grounds without having been seen by anybody. He walked quickly and easily toward the other part of the yard, keeping in the shadow of trees and avoiding the walks; but in crossing Maryland Avenue he espied an officer approaching him. The young man immediately adopted an aggravated limp.
“Halt!” called out the officer, well knowing it was study hours, and that no midshipman had a right to be out of his quarters at that time.
“Are you coming from sick quarters?” he demanded.
“Yes, sir,” replied the midshipman, the tones of his voice not expressing the terror he felt.
“Very well,” replied the officer, returning the midshipman’s salute and passing on.
The midshipman limped away for a short distance and then straightening up, hurried on. In a few moments he had gained a thick clump of bushy trees near the band stand where he was lost in complete darkness.
“You’re here at last, are you, Creelton?” said a low voice from amidst the trees.
“Where are you, Short? I can’t see anything.”
“Over here. Well, you’ve failed again, have you?”